IronJoe's Airflow Convertible Project Thread!

[IronJoe]

After the recent events over on SC, I am officially moving my project thread to saablink.net.

For those that don't know, my project thread on SC is the most-viewed c900 thread on the site. With 70+ pages, over 70,000 views and a linked gallery of over 10,000 images it has grown into a significant c900 resource. With the way things went down there over the past week, I'm starting a project thread here where I will continue recording my work.


Please try to keep this thread on topic. I will continually edit the first post updated with the most recent information and a few pictures (something you can't do on SC anymore).


Stock power: 160 bhp & 188 ft/lbs
Current power: 335whp & 330 ft/lbs

The Car:
-1987 900 Turbo Convertible
-Purchased in August 2001 w/89,000 miles


Performance:
-Full engine rebuild, bored .040 over with Mahle forged pistons, Total Seal rings, balanced rods & machined crank
-Megasquirt v2.2 Standalone engine management (fuel/ignition/boost control)
-Ford EDIS Distributorless Ignition system, crank-triggered wasted-spark
-KnocksenseMS tuned knock detection system
-Garrett T3/T4 Hybrid .60/.63 w/Stage III exhaust wheel, 360* thrust bearing & gapped oil seal
-Ceramic coated TA-31 "hi flow" turbo exhaust housing
-Siemens 60lb/hr fuel injectors
-SS Mandrel-bent equal length header, 2000* ceramic coated
-Custom 3" downpipe, 2000* ceramic coated
-Custom 1.5" external WG atmospheric dump pipe, 2000* ceramic coated
-TiAL 38mm external wastegate set at 12 PSI
-Innovate wideband o2 sensor
-Precision 350hp intercooler (26 3/4" x 6 3/8" x 3.5")
-2.5" mandrel-bent aluminum IC piping
-Swedish Dynamics Kevlar/Sintered Iron clutch & Sachs pressure plate
-2.3L head & 2.1L intake manifold (lowered compression ratio to 8.75:1)
-NA intake cam & 85 900T exhaust cam
-Knock LED in dash
-Magnaflow straight-through performance muffler
-Solid motor mounts
-Frankenstein transmission: bigger pinion bearing/strongest shift forks/strongest 5-speed case
-SaabSavior Short throw shifter
-3.0 bar fuel pressure regulator
-Cold-air intake in inner fender, 3" intake piping
-Oil catch can


Suspension, traction, braking etc:
-18x7.5" Sportmax 962 wheels, gunmetal w/polished lips modified to fit OEM Saab center caps
-225/35R18 Yokohama Parada Spec-II tires
-OEM Saab Type 8 primary gearset
-Quaife LSD
-Saabrally steel diff cover
-SaabSavior aluminum rally skidplate
-Slotted & cross-drilled rotors w/ceramic performance pads
-Koni adjustable shocks all around
-Intrax lowering springs, trimmed.

Exterior:
-Later '92-'94 five-piece convertible rear spoiler (larger)
-Airflow bumper center bar delete (for FMIC)
-Original SAAB convertible rear decor panel
-Original SAAB e-code headlights, smoked
-8000k H4 HID headlamp retrofit kit
-Black painted calipers & brake rotors
-Viggen-style exhaust tip
-OEM Hella Airflow foglights, yellow protectant film
-All-red taillights
-New paint January 2006 - edwardian grey PPG basecoat/clearcoat
-DIY new convertible top
-Full c900 Airflow Kit w/fluted wheel arches (european market only)
-body color matched grille, meshed
-Smoked clear corners/smoked side indicators
-Fully debadged

Interior:
-CORBEAU GTS-II Black/Grey Microsuede sport seats, Corbeau custom-fit rails
-Black microsuede covered interior panels
-Dyed black door panels/carpet/trunk
-ProSport Digital wideband AFR gauge, Oil pressure gauge, Oil Temp gauge
-ProSport 30psi Boost guage in headlight switch location
-Rare SAAB Fittipaldi Rallye steering wheel (taken from rallye-spec 99 EMS)
-N/A gauge cluster (no turbo/APC gauge)
-Genuine saab leather shift knob & boot



To Do 2011:
-New throwout bearing
-New clutch setup (SPEC 2+ or 3)
-New flywheel (lightened?)
-Redo/reinstall adjustable suspension
-Redo turbo oil return hose (again)
-Fix rear main seal oil leak
-New oil pump
-Walbro fuel pump install
-Jet-hot coat exhaust manifold
-T7 head swap


Future/wish list:
-Reupholster rear seats (to match front Corbeaus)
-New wheels
-New paint
-New turbo? GT30 or 35R?
-Hood vent grafted to fender
-Transmission oil cooler
-Scanwest cryo-treated & shot-peened transmission in chillcast case

[IronJoe]

Some nice pics from Eurotuner:

[justineffingp]

I say go gt35r, Your car already seems to be a benchmark for c900 owners, why not raise the bar?

[IronJoe]

Thanks. I just might, but that'd be down the road a bit.


First off, who still does a lightened flywheel for the c900? Fidanza the only ones?

[94cde]

love the car.. happy you have brought the thread over to a moar local (us) forum.. cant wait to see the "next level" honestly the next step shouldnt be more power, but more low! i have been contemplating custom a-arm with camber adjustments and spherical bearings.. a little too rich for my blood, but someone needs to do it!!

also raising the top perch for the spring would lower the car without cutting the spring...alot involved, but someone needs to actually LOWER a c900.. i vote IRONJOE!

[132417SAAB]

I love looking at your engine bay

[Moreboost]

Car looks great as always but you should have mentioned gods chariot somewhere in the first post. How else do you expect to get a good star rating

How are you liking the Parada tires? I'v read and heard good things about them, just curious to see what you think of them.

[nuclearphoenix]

iron joe, how far did you drop the ride height? i have the 17s from my 88 900 put on my 90 900 conv and want to drop it a bit but i'm concerned about rubbing. but i saw u were on 18s so im hopeful.
thanks
bad ass car btw

[justineffingp]

Originally Posted by IronJoe

Thanks. I just might, but that'd be down the road a bit.


First off, who still does a lightened flywheel for the c900? Fidanza the only ones?

Fidanza's the only one i've seen. I'm curious how driveablity is with it. Also, I have the spec stage 3 and I like it, though it does chatter some if you try to slowly engage it at idle.

[jk88]

Looking good IJ. My car wants to be like yours when it grows up.

Might as well crosspost to TSC and FOOR while you're at it. This place will probably end up the same way SC did.

Originally Posted by Moreboost

you should have mentioned gods chariot somewhere in the first post.

This car is driven by an angel.

[midnightsonett]

Did this car appear in a European Car issue ?Some special work was done on the head I think,valve stems were turned down to 6mm.Used Cosworth YB pistons at one time ?[anyone have the info on that] ? I would like to read more about that engine.I started a parts collection for a build for my 89 spg.

[IronJoe]

Originally Posted by 94cde

honestly the next step shouldnt be more power

Yeah, I keep going back and forth on this. I want to keep building up the performance because that's what I love to do... But on the other hand, at 400hp this car is already way too powerful for its own good. For now I will focus on fixing the little stuff (battery, clutch & bearing, etc) and we'll see where that leads me. I want to do the alum flywheel just because I need a new one, and I'd rather not replace it with a stock one if I have the option to upgrade.

Originally Posted by jk88

Looking good IJ. My car wants to be like yours when it grows up.

Save your money.

Originally Posted by jk88

Might as well crosspost to TSC and FOOR while you're at it. This place will probably end up the same way SC did.

Sure hope not! Also, I will join that last forum only if they change their name.

Originally Posted by midnightsonett

Did this car appear in a European Car issue ?Some special work was done on the head I think,valve stems were turned down to 6mm.Used Cosworth YB pistons at one time ?[anyone have the info on that] ? I would like to read more about that engine.I started a parts collection for a build for my 89 spg.

Nope, not European car. Just Eurotuner. Maybe you're thinking of Jeff P's "viggen" style SPG?

[Trollhättan Bil]

Veerrry nice, IronJoe, very nice indeed! Honestly, I'm just a wee bit envious, though I'm not into 'verts.

The only things that occur to me to suggest are poly bushings everywhere, tower brace(s) and an underbody brace because, despite 'verts' typically having a more so rigid frame, tightening down the suspension and circumventing the potential for b-roll (especially since you're pushing that much torque) is always a good thing.

[Talladega900]

Looking good as always, IJ.

Not having been on SC in a couple of months, I know it's under new ownership, but other than the new ownership what's going on over there, if I might ask? Just curious.

[SPGreg]

Out of curiosity, how often do you drive it? Is it a weekend track car or do you use it regularly on the street? Just curious about driveability & whether it's your DD.

[IronJoe]

I drive it when it's sunny.

I live by Seattle.

You do the math.

Just kidding. It was my daily from '01-'07. I bought my SPG in '07 and took this off the road for standalone conversion Winter '07-'08. Since then its had less road time. Driven on nice days, maybe once or twice a week. Definitely more in the summer. But I carpool to work so it has only come to work with me a handful of times.

All told, in 10 years I've put on 40,000 miles so its not my daily, but not a museum piece either. I bought it just before Sr year in high school, drove it all through college etc etc.

[christian900se]

Originally Posted by IronJoe

Sure hope not! Also, I will join that last forum only if they change their name.

Haha, that is exactly why I haven't joined either. I hope someday I can get back up to WA, I would love to meet up and check out the C900 because this is bar none one of my favorite Saabs.

Keep up the good work, always do it big!

[132417SAAB]

If and when I ever make my road trip out west I hope I can see this car in person; like christian said my favorite c900 bar none

[mvadenais]

new turbo upgrade along with tranny upgrade

new gtx3071r so so nice:
Garrett GTX3071R Dual Ball Bearing Turbo : atpturbo.com

[IronJoe]

Originally Posted by christian900se

Haha, that is exactly why I haven't joined either. I hope someday I can get back up to WA, I would love to meet up and check out the C900 because this is bar none one of my favorite Saabs.

Keep up the good work, always do it big!

Come on out, you're welcome anytime. I'll be in socal this summer, maybe you can show me your Z.

Originally Posted by mvadenais

new turbo upgrade along with tranny upgrade

new gtx3071r so so nice:
Garrett GTX3071R Dual Ball Bearing Turbo : atpturbo.com

Maybe someday, for now I need to focus on more practical stuff. A faulty battery charger caused the untimely end of my nice Optima redtop, sad panda. Immediate need is a new battery and a new clutch/slave cyl/throwout bearing/flywheel before I do any more serious driving on it.

I keep turning down the boost and the clutch keeps slipping, no good